It is a well known fact that many effective drugs produce undesirable side effects. The use of prescription and non-prescription antihistamines often cause drowsiness, and, when taken along with other cold remedies, often cause dizziness and nausea. The effects of tranquilizers such as diazepam, and chlordiazepoxide often produce undesirable conditions such as instabilities. Pain killers such as propoxyphene and meperidine can cause drowsiness, dizziness, visual disturbances, tremors, uncoordinated muscle movements and so forth. Many drugs for treating ulcers often produce these same side effects. Mixing any of these drugs with alcohol is dangerous and may be even fatal.
Physostigmine was first isolated in 1864 by Jobst and Hesse after it was originally introduced into England in the form of the Calabar bean, in 1840, by Daniell, a British medical officer. During the last century, physostigmine has been used as a treatment for glaucoma and in post-operative ileus, and in the reversal of atropine-induced coma. More recently, physostigmine has been used effectively as an antidote to several drugs possessing central anticholinergic properties. See Journal Of The American College Of Emergency Physicians and University Association For Emergency Medical Services, June, 1976, Volume 5, Number 6, pages 436-439. Pediatrics, Volume 52, Number 3, September, 1973 discusses the use of physostigmine compounds such as physostigmine salicylate in the treatment of anticholinergic poisoning. The use of physostigmine in the treatment of anticholinergic poisoning is also discussed in Journal of The American College Of Emergency Physicians And University Association For Emergency Medical Services, Volume 5, Number 2, February, 1976, pages 125-127 wherein it is noted that drugs with anticholinergic effects are readily available to the public by prescription and over-the-counter and are increasingly the subject of abuse by the patients. This article discusses the use of physostigmine as an emergency antidote. The Journal Of The American College Of Emergency Physicians And University Association For Emergency Medical Services, Volume 5, Number 6, June, 1976, pages 443-445 also discusses the use of physostigmine in the treatment of tricylic antidepressant overdoses. The use of physostigmine compounds to reverse the effect of scopolamine in parturients is described in the American Journal of Obstetrics And Gynecology, Volume 116, Number 3, pages 326-329, June 1, 1976 and in The Journal Of International Anesthesia Research Society, Volume 55, Number 4, July-August, 1976. Thus, the use of physostigmine compound to counteract the undesirable anticholinergic effect of many useful drugs has been known for a number of years and is growing in utilization by physicians.